A LIVING TREE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD
December 28, 2003 pmMF Blume
Numbers 17:1-13 (1) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, (2) Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod. (3) And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. (4) And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. (5) And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. (6) And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. (7) And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. (8) And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (9) And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. (10) And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (11) And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. (12) And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. (13) Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? Mat 27:50-53 (50) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. (51) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (52) And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (53) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Aaron's rod was the branch of an almond tree. Verse 8 indicates this. In proving which tribe should be ordained of God to be priests to God, the resurrection of the rod of Aaron proved Aaron's tribe of LEVI to be the priestly tribe. Korah rose up against Moses in Numbers 16, and indicated all the people were "holy".
Originally all Israel were meant to be priests. Exodus 19:6 (6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Korah most likely had that scripture in mind when he said, Numbers 16:3 (3) And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? But why later on is it only the Levites' rod that resurrects?
Exodus 32:1 (1) And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. Exodus 32:25-26 (25) And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) (26) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. Only the believers who come to Jesus out from among the rest of the world who are all meant to be God's people and God's nation, will be the ones who will be his people. 1 Peter 2:9 (9) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Just as the tribe of Levi alone fulfilled all that God wanted for all the tribes, only the church and the ones who come to Jesus' side will be the ones that enjoy what God gave for every man. 1 Peter 2:3-5 (3) If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (4) To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (5) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We are lively stones WHO COME to the Lord, the great stone! We are resurrected branches who came to Christ, the great BRANCH. As much as we are the HOUSE OF GOD built of lively stones on the great cornerstone Christ, we are the tree of life, branches of the Great ROD OF JESSE, Jesus Christ! No one else will be able to stand before God one day! After we read of the rod of Aaron proving who is the tribe of priesthod, we read... (10) And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. (11) And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. (12) And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. (13) Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? As much as those RODS remained DEAD before the presence of the Lord, the people knew they could not come before His presence AND LIVE, as the Levites could, and especially AARON the High Priest! But although the high priest alone of Aaron could go directly in, all the priests of MELCHISEDEK an enter this most holy place now!!! Hebrews 6:19-20 (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 4:16 (16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 10:19 (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, WE ALL GO ON IN! Similarly, the only one who can truly be High Priest for mankind is the one who resurrects from the dead.
(1) For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: (2) Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. (3) And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. (4) And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. (5) So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. Jesus was glorified to be made High Priest Hebrews 5:8-10 (8) Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (10) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. He suffered the death of the cross, and He was made complete. Hebrews 7:8 (8) And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. Hebrews 7:24 (24) But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Jesus resurrected to never die again.
THE GARDEN IS REPRESENTED BY THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES. When God barred out Adam, we read: Genesis 3:24 (24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. And the Holiest had the following: Exodus 26:31-33 (31) And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: (32) And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. (33) And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. So keep the GARDEN in mind when you think of Aaron's rod in the holiest of holies. Death would come to any who would stand before God near the tabernacle. But Aaron was able to stand there and not die. Similarly ADAM was to die should he have tried to enter the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:22-24 (22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: (23) Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Like the rod of Aaron before the presence of God and made alive, Jesus went into glory -- in the presence of God -- the day He resurrected. He told Mary not to touch HIm because He had not yet ascended to the Father.
(1) The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: (3) To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: . Many PROOFS were given to show His life!
Now, this should remind us right away of the seven candlesticks in the tabernacle. Rev 1:12-13 (12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; (13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. Rev 1:20 (20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Exodus 25:31-34 (31) And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. (32) And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: (33) Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. (34) And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And IN Revelation 1 we see that the candlesticks of seven BRANCHES coming from the main body of the candlesticks are ALMOND branches.
Jesus is the tree of life! Isaiah 11:1 (1) And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: This branch would grow and a tree of life would occur as a result. We read that people wanted to SEE JESUS. Many people want to see various things about Jesus, but Jesus wants us to see one thing and one thing only.
(21) The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. (22) Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. (23) And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Like a branch that is broken off. Moses gathered RODS that were taken as branches broken off from a tree.
By taking the rods, it was as though Moses was saying "Okay, now. Who, after they have died, is able to resurrect from the dead in order to be the High Priest and tribe of priests that our nation requires? You call have claims, but who will God raise from the dead to be that one?" And of all, Aaron's rod was dead and came back to life. As the seed would rise and become a tree with many branches, that single rod would MULTIPLY.
(50) Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. (51) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (52) And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (53) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. The veil represents the entrance to the garden, and the veil opened to indicate the garden is opened. And the wonderful thing about this is that the HOLY CITY in Revelation is the New Jerusalem. Rev 21:16 (16) And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. Look at the holiest of holies. 1 Kings 6:19 (19) And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. (20) And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar. SAME SHAPE... the tree of life was in there!!!
Rev 22:2 (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Adam was told he'd have to return back to the ground outside the garden due to his sin. So a blockade was placed at the entrance to the garden, and it was removed with the death of Jesus when the veil ripped, so that the folks outside and in the graves could come back out now and return back into the city!!! Genesis 3:19 (19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. The ground he was taken from was outside the Garden. Genesis 2:7-8 (7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (8) And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. So we're back inside now, with Jesus as part of Him! John 15:1-2 (1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:6-8 (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. All other branches called people's lives are from the false vine, the false tree. God told Adam he'd die if he ate of it. We are like branches.
John 6:26-29 (26) Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. (27) Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (28) Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? (29) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was the focal point of the serpent, Lucifer, who expressed such a self-centred desire for "I will, I will, I will" in Isiah 14. Isaiah 14:12-14 (12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. And everyone who seeks their own wills is simply a branch from his tree. But Jesus sought not HIs own will, but the Father's will. Luke 22:42 (42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And He seeks a bride (branch) with the same desires. Mat 7:21 (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Let's be a branch on the tree of life in the presence of God.
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